Breastfeeding & fertility

My little ladybug is almost 4mnths old and DH and I are thinking about TTC again in about a years time. I was just wondering if anyone has any idea when my body might become fertile again? I know that's a bit of a silly question considering everyone is different but even a general idea would help!

Currently I am exclusively BFing DD with no solids or formula top ups. Obviously by this time next year she will be eating solids but I do plan to continue BF until she weans herself, so this time next year I may still be BFing her day & night.

When should I expect my period to return? Will it come back once she starts eating solids and her milk feeds drop off a bit? At the moment she sleeps around 12hrs a night and I still don't have my period.

I've conceived twice while breastfeeding- the first time, AF returned when DD1 was 7.5 months old and she had been sleeping 12 hours a night consistently for a month. It took a while for my cycles to regulate and I conceived when she was 11 months old.
2nd time around, I was still feeding DD2 every 3 hrs and AF returned when she was 5 months old. Cycles took a while to regulate and when she was 9 months old we started TTC and conceived when she was 14 months old.
We followed sperm meets egg plan, but for me, it wasn't until my cycles were back to 28 days and I O'd on day 14 that I conceived.
There's some great info on Kellymom on breastfeeding and fertility.
So, the experience can be different for the same person...
I would recommend you start tracking your cycles when they return and use OPK's to help pinpoint O.
Good luck!

I dont think there is anyway to no.
I BF my twins for 15 months and I decided to wean them then so we could start TTC again. I have not done a breastfeed for 3 weeks now and still no AF. Today it is exactly 2 years since i've had AF.

Everyone is so completely different, there is simply no predicting when your period will come back, but generally speaking, the less your breasts are stimulated, the lower your hormone levels will become, and the more likely menstruation will become, but it just depends on what is the critical triggering level of hormone for YOU which will allow an egg to be released.

I got mine back very early every time despite being an ecological breastfeeder, (exclusive breastmilk until at least 6 months, no breast subsititutes, demand feeding day and night) but I know women who don't get periods for years while breastfeeding...

Everyone is different and there is unfortunately no point asking others!

I start ovulating again after 4 mths and have conceived twice at this point whilst breastfeeding.

I researched this extensively - in general, women can expect that they're unlikely to concevie before 6 mths. After that, fertility starts jumping up. From my experience there's quite a jump at 8-9 mths (just from years of ABA meetings and observing other women) which is possibly associated with bub being well on solids at that point (usually).

It's not at all uncommon for fertility to be delayed past the year mark or only return once baby is fully weaned though.

If I *had* to say what you should expect, I'd say start checking for ovulatoin signs from 8-9 mths, especially of course if you've had af return.

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